A collator is a lightweight desktop structure for holding paper files. Current collators have roughly two to twelve rigid supports about the size of a piece of paper. The supports are plastic or metal solid sheets, or loops like inverted U's. Consecutive supports are separated by about a half-inch in order to accommodate many papers between them. Each support is connected firmly to a bottom rail on each side to hold the product together.
The problem with the current design is that it is bulky. Some collators are not collapsible at all, while others are only partly collapsible. Even in the collapsed configuration, they are several inches thick. Collators are used regularly in environments such as elections, conferences, and film shoots, where facilities are only temporary. In this setting, it is desirable to pack up the collator and carry it from one location to another. Though a collator is not heavy like furniture, it is still too bulky to carry in a briefcase, tote bag, or backpack.